Foot massagers have been known for quite sometime and can provide many hours of relief and enjoyment from the stresses placed upon the feet. The conventional foot massager can combine both heat and some form of massaging whether it be through vibration or through some form of variably textured surface. Foot massagers often incorporate some form of container for holding water or other liquids. These containers are filled with the desired liquid wherein the individual using the massager soaks the feet therein. An alternate method of providing heat to an individuals feet, providing a form of therapeutic relaxation, is to provide electrically sourced heat in the form of an encapsulated heating coil or coils or hot plate. Examples of prior art foot massagers available today are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,736 to Thurber, which provides for a cushioned massager having a soft enclosure for at least one foot and a vibration source.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,513,735; 4,446,855; 4,429,687 all to Friedson et al., provide for an apparatus for treating feet which includes: a tub enclosure for liquid (i.e. water); heat source in the foot rest and water tub and vibrator plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,053 to Kunz, provides for a soaking bath and vibrating source separate from the bath.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,965,495 and 3,942,520 both to McNair, provide for a tub enclosure with a vibrator means and heating source provided for therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,474 to Carruth provides for a base which imparts an evenly distributed vibration.
Each of the above cited references represents various known foot massagers with differing combinations of heat and massage.
The problem with the prior art devices is that they fail to provide for the combination of a massaging unit and heat source in a single non-electrical portable device.